Workshop: Setting a Broader Impact Innovation Roadmap; Arlington, Virginia; May 2016

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

Since 1997, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has required that all proposals submitted for funding explicitly address two review criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts. Advances in both intellectual merit and broader impacts are essential if NSF is to achieve its mission "to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes." The two criteria are often considered separately in developing and reviewing projects. A conceptual framework for understanding the various dimensions of the two criteria and their potential synergy may lead to projects with greater societal value. This workshop brings together thought-leaders from the Civil, Mechanical, and Industrial Engineering academic research communities to define a roadmap for broader Impact innovations. Participants are academic researcher leaders who have demonstrated innovation in broader impact activities -- creating measurable economic, human capital, and societal value through their research. A publicly available workshop report will define innovative approaches to enhancing the broader impact from NSF-funded research. Subsequent presentations and publications by workshop participants will make these ideas widely available to the community.